Funny, feisty and all-too-true, A Not Quite Perfect Family by Claire Sandy is for anyone who loves their family so much they d just like a weekend away from them. Fern Carlile has a lot on her plate. It s a good thing she loves her big, imperfectly perfect family, because she s the one who washes their pants, de-fleas the dog and runs her own business. A hearty meal is the one thing that brings the Carliles together but over the course of a year, the various courses also pull them apart. Around the table sits an eight-year-old militant feminist, a pair of teenage accidental parents, and a cantankerous OAP. Fern s husband needs an extra seat for his spectacular midlife crisis. Will Fern s marriage be over by the time coffee is served? Perhaps she ll give in and have the hot new dish that looks so tempting. Decisions, decisions . . .